IUCN threat status:

Brief Summary

Biology

The sandbar shark spends the majority of its time near the sea bottom, where it patrols continuously for prey (4), such as small bottom-dwelling fishes, molluscs and crustaceans (2). Whilst the diet of the adult consists primarily of fish, the pups appear to feed more on soft blue crabs (7). Despite its size and large triangular teeth, the sandbar shark has never been blamed for attacks on humans, preferring instead to stick to its live fish meals (2). Like most other members of the Carcharhinidae family, the sandbar shark is viviparous, giving birth to between 1 and 14 pups in each litter (2). The size of the litter varies depending on the size of the mother, with large females giving birth to larger litters (2). Pregnancy is estimated to last from 8 to 12 months (2), and appears to differ between geographical locations (8) (9). The time of year in which the pups are born also varies slightly, but all females move inshore to shallow nursery areas to give birth (2) (8) (9). These nursery grounds are separated from the normal ranges of adults (9), and presumably offer the young a calm, food-rich environment in which to begin their lives. The females leave these coastal areas soon after giving birth, while the young remain in the nursery grounds until winter (9), when they move into warmer and deeper water (2). A common feature of sharks is their slow growth rate and low reproductive output. Estimates of the age at which the sandbar shark matures range from eight to ten years in Hawaii (10), to between 12 and 15 years of age in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (11). Females give birth every other year at most (2). Populations of sandbar sharks appear to segregate by age (6).